Trump gets slapped down by appeals court as defamation trial starts

A federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected Donald Trump's claim of presidential immunity in the defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll, court records show.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York also dismissed Trump's arguments that his 2019 statements against Carroll were not defamatory, the ruling shows.

The ruling on Carroll's defamation case against Trump arrived as the pair attended jury selection in a New York City courtroom.

Judge Lewis Kaplan has already found Trump liable for defamation — the trial is to determine damages. The former president denies wrongdoing.

Trump had claimed that, because the comments were made while he was president, he was immune from being put on trial for them.

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The assertion was knocked by a New York court last year when it ruled that Trump was not immune — but the former president appealed.

Tuesday's decision upholds that ruling.

Trump has also separately argued presidential immunity in the federal election interference case being brought by special counsel Jack Smith. That case is still being considered by an appeals court.